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HEFFEL FINE ART AUCTION HOUSE 15
106 JAMES EDWARD HERVEY (J.E.H.)
MACDONALD
ALC CGP G7 OSA RCA 1873 ~ 1932
Early Autumn, Montreal River, Algoma
oil on board, signed and dated 1919
and on verso signed, titled and inscribed 28992
8 1/2 x 10 3/8 in, 21.6 x 26.3 cm
PROVENANCE:
Acquired directly from the Artist by
Percy and Gertrude Wells Hilborn, Ontario
By descent to the present Private Collection, Ontario
LITERATURE:
Charles C. Hill, The Group of Seven: Art For A Nation,
National Gallery of Canada, 1995, pages 79 and 80
Early Autumn, Montreal River, Algoma is a delightful and joyous bouquet of
colour. Related closely to several of J.E.H. MacDonald’s masterworks such
as October Shower Gleam and The Solemn Land, this work comes from the
second boxcar trip arranged by Lawren Harris into Algoma country.
Harris, after his discharge from the army in 1918, had traveled to
Manitoulin Island with James MacCallum on a respite to aid in his
recovery. Not finding the scenery to his liking, Harris suggested a side trip
on the Algoma Central Railway to find more appealing views. It was on
this side trip that he first encountered Algoma and the inspiration for the
boxcar trips came. Harris organized the first boxcar excursion in the fall of
that year and included Frank Johnston and MacDonald ~ whom he had to
urge, as MacDonald was also recovering from recent illnesses. A third trip,
the second of the boxcar expeditions, saw the inclusion of A.Y. Jackson,
who had just returned from France, and took place in September of 1919.
Jackson describes the scenery as vivid with changing hues: “The colour is
disappearing very fast. The reds were gorgeous when we first came, but
now it is all orange and yellow.” This striking work comes from that trip,
and if we can take Jackson’s writing literally, it comes from early in the
trip, as the reds are indeed gorgeous.
At this time, MacDonald’s painting was heavily influenced by his work in
design. There is a clear link between this rhythmic painting and the
artistry of his beautiful bookplates and lyrical poster designs, but
Algoma’s ruggedness would add an edge to MacDonald’s work that had
not been there before; wherein gentility is replaced by wildness, soft lines
replaced by bold ones and low~keyed colour heightened by the vivid fall
hues he saw at Algoma. He described the land as being “after Dante’s
heart. The canyon is like a winding way to the lower regions and last
night, when the train went through just after dark, with the fireman
stoking up, the light of the fire shining on the smoke clouds, it was easy
to imagine his Satanic majesty taking a drive through his domain…The
great perpendicular rocks seemed to overhang as though they might fall
any minute and the dark Agawa moving quietly through it all had an
uncanny snakiness. On a fine day, such as this, the canyon seemed to lead
upwards and has all the attributes of an imagined Paradise, excepting,
perhaps, anything in the way of meadows. There are beautiful waterfalls
on all sides, and the finest trees ~ spruce, elm, and pine.”
Early Autumn, Montreal River, Algoma literally dances with colour, pattern
and movement. The repeating chevrons of brushwork in the foreground
forest are echoed and balanced by the vibrant blues in the sky, and the
deep indigo of the river, almost dead centre in the work, is especially rich.
MacDonald was a master of colour, often noting in the margins of his
notebooks which pigments were essential for the region he was
sketching. His ability to observe and to translate the essential character
of the landscape into his sketches was foundational in his art, and proved
invaluable to his career. As MacDonald increased in stature as an
educator, he devoted more and more of his time to teaching and had less
time to sketch in the field. He would rely on his plein air sketches for
inspiration when he had time to work in his studio. Gems such as this
evocative painting were essential to him as they had the power to
transport him back to the hills above the Montreal River, to take him back
into the wilderness that laid the foundations for his early masterworks.
This sketch comes to auction at Heffel through the family of Percy and
Gertrude Wells Hilborn and their daughter Esther, and by association
with their friends Sam and Kitty Williams. The Williamses had a cottage
on Georgian Bay, and were neighbours of one of Jackson’s cousins who
also had a cottage there. The Williamses frequently entertained the
Hilborns and members of the Group at their cottage and supported them
by purchasing their work, especially that of Jackson. The Hilborns
donated Jackson’s masterwork canvas First Snow, Algoma to the
McMichael Canadian Art Collection in 1969 and Esther subsequently
made important gifts to the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, the
National Gallery of Canada and the Kitchener~Waterloo Art Gallery.
ESTIMATE: $80,000 ~ 100,000